Flemington will host Turnbull Stakes Day on Saturday with a high quality 10-race program on offer. One of the highlights will be seeing Hong Kong star and Cox Plate favourite Romantic Warrior for the first time. Race 1 gets underway at 12:25pm (AEDT) with track conditions a Soft 6 at the time of analysing.
Brendan Bunworth has previewed every race on the Flemington card and provides his racing tips for us below. Good luck if you're following!
Flemington Racing Tips: Saturday, October 7th 2023
Race 1: HQ Tavern Sprint - 12:25pm (AEDT)
(15) Bews has home up 100m in distance here and that should no issues for the I am Invincible gelding. He flew home at Flemington last start to just miss and he loses nothing in losing Shinn on top as Kah has taken the ride. Has been beaten by a nose his last couple but can atone.
(18) Ettiene is nominated at a couple of tracks this weekend but if runs here has to be included. Has drawn the inside which may be an advantage early in the day.
(13) Xtravagant Star is fresh for this after winning at Rosehill. Has won over $1million in prizemoney and should only get better this campaign.
(8) My Yankee Girl jumped out well and will prefer if the track is Soft.
(15) Bews - WIN
$4.20 (1 Unit)
Race 2: Darley Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (First starters) - 12:55pm (AEDT)
(2) Blue Illusion won a Flemington jumpout on September 28 in readiness for this race and with Kah on will be a popular pick. It is the two-year-old’s first start and he is Godolphin owned.
(3) Bodyguard is Peter Snowden trained and is well-bred (I am Invincible/Tumoch).
(6) Dublin Down won a trial at Ararat on September 28.
(8) Wolfgang cost half a million and JMAC is on.
(2) Blue Illusion - Win
$2.30 (2 Units)
Race 3: ABC Bullion Super Impose Stakes - 1:30pm (AEDT)
(6) Riff Rocket ran on well at Rosehill when 2nd last time and he comes to Melbourne expecting a couple of wins during the carnival. On September 14 he was too good at Kembla Grange when he also ran on well. You would think that Flemington would suit his racing style and is seems he doesn’t worry about track conditions. JMAC goes on for the first time.
(5) Apulia has run two 2nds for Zahra who stays on top and the Fiorente colt should enjoy the rise in distance.
(2) Fistoffury comes down from the Group 2 Stutt Stakes where he ran 6th. He should get a nice run in transit and can sneak a placing in this.
(3) Ambassadorial has drawn ridiculously wide in 18 and will go forward.
(6) Riff Rocket - Win
$2.80 (3 Units)
Race 4: TAB Edward Manifold Stakes (Group 2) - 2:05pm (AEDT)
(1) De Sonic Boom ran on well for 2nd last start in the Jim Moloney Stakes and on a bigger track at Flemington it might suit his racing style as he does tend to get back in his races. At The Valley 2 starts back he also ran well but found the home straight to small when running on for 3rd. Has never seen a Soft track which is a slight worry but he does have Moor on again who has placed on him twice.
(2) Legacies was backed to win last start and was ordinary but can bounce back here. The wide barrier in 14 is the worry.
(4) Zardozi has drawn inside and was pretty unlucky last start when 7th at Hillside. A Soft track would be ideal.
(6) Coco Sun can be slow out but is 1 from 1 on the Soft. Another get back type!
(1) De Sonic Boom - Win
$8 (1 Unit)
Race 5: Whirlpool Danehill Stakes Group 2 - 2:40pm (AEDT)
(3) I am Unstoppable is one that sits off the speed but comes home very strongly in his races. He has form on the Soft and he has placed in both starts over this distance. Zac Spain has a very good association with him and he will looks to make amends on Archo Nacho who beat him in a close finish last time.
(7) Kardinksy Abstract was only fair last time behind the above horses but owners have paid a lot of money for him and improvement is expected here.
(9) Stretan Angel has placed at Flemington before and is 1 from 1 on Soft ground.
(4) Archo Nacho is fitter again and is the likely fav. Melham stays on but this is equally as hard as last time and it may be his first try on Soft ground.
(3) I Am Unstoppable - Win
$3.20 (2 Units)
Race 6: Furphy Rose of Kingston Stakes Group 2 - 3:15pm (AEDT)
(3) Princess Grace should win this for Chris Waller on the back of a tough 4th in a Group 1 race last start (Makybe Diva). From barrier 5 she should settle handy and on a suitable surface she won’t see a Mr Brightside here after bumping into him in her last couple of runs. She has run two 2nds over the 1400m.
(1) Skew Wiff has drawn wide but has been racing well in New Zealand. She may be better in a couple of weeks though.
(4) Wrote to Arataki deserves another chance. She has the ability to run good closing sectionals. Good odds.
(6) Waltz on By is 2 from 2 over the 1400m and is trained by leading trainers Moody & Coleman.
(3) Princess Grace - Win
$1.65 (4 Units)
Race 7: The Lexus Bart Cummings Group 3 - 3:50pm (AEDT)
(2) Goldman may try and lead this field and although it is tough to do it all of the way at Flemington, he has got good Soft track form. He is 1 from 1 at Flemington and Jordan Childs has won on him before. At Caulfield in the Naturalism he led but faded the last 150m but he will be fitter for that effort. He ha drawn well in 2 whereas a couple of the favourites have drawn awkwardly.
(3) Sheraz is fitter again from his latest run where he hit the line strongly (8th). If the pace is on he will be right in this.
(7) Athabascan has JMac on and comes into this race on the back of an impressive win at Rosehill after he stormed home from the 400m. He loves Soft ground and will likely settled in the back 3 or 4.
(18) First Immortal is emergency but is a definite contender if runs. He is rising in class but if he does run he does have a wide barrier in 20.
(2) Goldman - E/W
$8/$2.70 (1 Unit)
Race 8: TAB Turnbull Stakes (GROUP 1) - 4:25pm (AEDT)
(7) Osipenko with the combination of Waller and Oliver is a big chance here after he hit the line well at Flemington in the Makybe Diva Stakes last start. He should be fitter now and the 2000m is ideal with the horse having won over it in his only race start at the trip. He does get back a bit and you would think the big straight will suit him not just in this race but in some races in a few weeks’ time. Ollie rides him for the first time but would have likely worked him during the week.
(1) Romantic Warrior comes over from Hong Kong and is all the talk. He is the clear Cox Plate favourite and his trainer (Shum) said the horse is 80 to 90 percent fit and will be 100 percent by Cox Plate Day.
(4) Francesco Guardi was only 3.4L behind Mr Brightside last start and he would be getting close to 100 percent fitness now too. The Waller stable would be hoping for a top 3 finish which would make him Caulfield Cup favourite i would say.
(5) West Wind Blows is flying by all reports but he hasn’t raced since August 26 at Windsor (UK). Jamie Spencer is over and knows him well.
(7) Osipenko - E/W
$6.50/$2.10 (2 Units)
Race 9: Gilgai Stakes (Group 2) - 5:05pm (AEDT)
(7) Zoutori is always racing in high quality races and at the odds is worth a small play here. Damien Lane has ridden him 15 times and stays on which is a bonus and he has won 6 times from 23 starts over this distance. On September 16 he ran on fairly behind Star Patrol (5th) but he will have gathered a lot of fitness from that effort.
(3) Snapper will be close to 100-1 but is not the worst here for Moroney. He may lead and if they crawl he can sneak a placing.
(2) Star Patrol won well last time and will be fitter again. I prefer him on Good but he has been running good times.
(3) Jigsaw resumes and goes well first up having won 3 from 4. Daniel Moor stays on and he has won 4 times on him.
(4) Showmanship resumes for the Leek team but may be better in a few weeks. Like this distance though.
(7) Zoutori - E/W
$16/$4 (0.5 Units)
Race 10: World Pool Paris Lane Stakes - 5:40pm (AEDT)
(9) Umgawa gets weight relief in this with a 4kg drop for Harry Coffey who has had a busy week around the state. He is consistent but just doesn’t win much but from barrier 6 Coffey should be able to place him into the race nicely. He is very fit now and Flemington is one of his favourite tracks.
(13) The Fortune Teller gets Kah on and he did make up a couple of lengths late in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie last start despite finishing 11th. Good odds.
(6) Minsk Moment has a good winning strike rate and will find this race easier than last start where he bumped into Star Patrol.
(5) Tamerlane may lead these and he does have good second up form. Damien Lane is on and he can handle the Soft going.
(9) Umgawa - Win
$6.50 (1 Unit)
Quaddie Tips
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Leg one: 2, 3, 4, 7 18, 19
Leg two: 1, 7
Leg three: 2, 3, 7
Leg four: 5, 6, 9, 13
